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I believe that of all my cor- respondents - you & Joanna are the only ones that give me more letters than I return. I read books & gather flowers & work with & think with so much machinery that I have only a little time to write even to my own dear sisters. I am sorry Mary that your letter together with your photograph was lost. I guess that the Mr John Muir who lives here had opened it, and when he found so good a scotch face with his own good name of Muir, he said, 'Stay with me sweet lass' You will go [illegible] farther, but you must send another Mary & I will send mine soon as I can sit still long enough

[2]

to have it taken. I do not know Mary that I was ever celebrated in song before, but everybody has heard of "Highland Mary". I used to write rhyming letter but now that I am becoming practical my metre would [illegible] like this "Mary pary rix tix tary" I believe it is natural for all to speak in verse some time or other in life. You remember that earn our pladding, pract- ical, [illegible], Dave used to write love & soft sentiment, in gentle song when enjoyed in stable duties or "cutting grub or when enjoyed in [illegible] shrewed & [illegible] house & [illegible] trades with father, - But all fun aside I really think that for people who are not born [illegible] to spend much time in making verse is unwise - , still some good results from it for people thus

[in margin: Mary you must excuse me for not sending you rhyme for rhyme. Yours is firstrate.]

I believe that of all my cor- respondents - you & Joanna are the only ones that give me more letters than I return. I read books & gather flowers & work with & think with so much machinery that I have only a little time to write even to my own dear sisters. I am sorry Mary that your letter together with your photograph was lost. I guess that the Mr John Muir who lives here had opened it, and when he found so good a scotch face with his own good name of Muir, he said, 'Stay with me sweet lass' You will go [illegible] farther, but you must send another Mary & I will send mine soon as I can sit still long enough

[2]

to have it taken. I do not know Mary that I was ever celebrated in song before, but everybody has heard of "Highland Mary". I used to write rhyming letter but now that I am becoming practical my metre would [illegible] like this "Mary pary rix tix tary" I believe it is natural for all to speak in verse some time or other in life. You remember that earn our pladding, pract- ical, [illegible], Dave used to write love & soft sentiment, in gentle song when enjoyed in stable duties or "cutting grub or when enjoyed in [illegible] shrewed & [illegible] house & [illegible] trades with father, - But all fun aside I really think that for people who are not born [illegible] to spend much time in making verse is unwise - , still some good results from it for people thus

[in margin: Mary you must excuse me for not sending you rhyme for rhyme. Yours is firstrate.]